Machine for filling bottles with charged beverages



' H. M. SMITH. MACHINE FOR FILLING BOTTLES WITH CHARGED BEVERAGES.

'APPLICATION FILED IUNE 3 1918. 1,419,697. f Patented June 13, 1922.

, l 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

kw QIIIIII E miga@ H. M. SMITH. MACHINE FOR FILLING BOTYLES WITH CHARGED BEVERAGES.

I APPLCP-TIN FILED ,UNE 3-198. l l 1,41 9,697. v Patented June' 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEEl- Zl stares earner ,essi-ics.

HORACE Ivi. sIvIITII, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIoNoR tro LIQUID CARBONIC COMPANY,

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A coItPoRn'rIoN or rLLINOIs.

MACHINE FORI FILLING BOTTLES'WTH CHARGED) BEVERAGES.

Laisser.

Application filed June 3, 1918.

To @ZZ fic/tom t may concern.'

Be it known that lf, HORACE M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Filling Bottles with Charged Beverages, of which the following is a specification.V

My invention relates more particularly to that form of filling machine in which a revoluble tank contains the liquid to be lilled and is provided with a number of filling valves which receive the bottles to be filled and as the tank revolves admit counterpressure air or gas into'the bottles, then admits the liquid with which the bottle is to be filled and finally discharges the filled bottles. The admission of counterpressure gas or air into the bottle before lilling the latter is for the purpose of preventing foaming of the liquid as it enters the bottle, particularly as it is charged with gas and is necessarily under gas pressure in the tank. `Each filling valve is provided with a filling tube which reaches nearly to the bottom of the bottle, and counterpressure gas is admitted at the mouth or neck of the bottle directly. To provide a smooth lling it is necessary to almost balance by the counterpressure within the bottle, the gas pressure upon the liquid in the tank plus the weight of the column of liquid from the bottom of the bottle to the top of the liquid in the tank. Obviously when the counterpressure in theV bottle equals the pressure of the intlowing liquid, made up by the pressure above the liquid and the weight of the column of liquid between the level of the liquid in the tank and the level ofthe liquid in the bottle, the flow ceases and this is taken advantage of to automa; tically till the bottles to a definite height by so regulating the counterpressure that when the liquid reaches the predetermined height in the bottle the counterpressure balances the pressure of 'the liquid. Prior to my invention this proportioning of the counterpressure to the pressure inthe illing'tank has been accomplished with more or less success in a variety of Ways. The respective pressures have been obtained from diierent sources each pressure being independently regulated by well-known regulating means. It has also been known to take the gas or air for supplying the tank with pressure and the Specification Of Letters Patent.

lates to means be readily adjusted to vas known to me, without,

Patented June 13, 1922. Serial No. 237,839.

mon source providing for differentiating the pressure by hydrostatic and by purely me-V chanical means. My present invention refor this purpose of the lat- It has for its Object the provif'c'o ter class.

-sion of mechanical device which is sensitive and accurate in operation and ma provide for the filling of bottles to different heights and of bottles of different heights, the regulation of the .device being readily effected without stopping the machine or in any manner interfering with its operation.

In the draw-ings accompanying and forniing part of 'this application l have shown a preferred form of invention and described the saine in detail in the following' specification. t is to be'understood, however, that this specific disclosure is for the purposeof cxemplification only and that the scope of the invention is defined in the following claims in which I have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art 'so far however, relinquishing or abandoning any portion or feature thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical axial section of the upper portion of a lilling machine embodying the preferred form of my invention, parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a similar section on a somewhat reduced scale of the lower part of the machine; F ig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line V3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4l a similar section on the line 11- 4 of F 1, parts being' shown in plan; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail. Each part is identified by the same reference character wherever it occurs throughout the several views." i

In a, Patent No. 1,275,622 granted to me August 13, 1918, is disclosed a filling machine of the character to which the present invention relates, in which, however, the differential pressure is obtained by hydrostatic means and reference may be made thereto for a further understanding of the general features: of the filling machine to which my invention is applied, which is old and well-known in the filling art. Referring' more particularly to Fig. 1 the filling tank is shown at 6 and is annular in form and may be supplied with carbonated or soda water, beer or other charged beverage .supply of liquid ito be filled.

volving tank s at all times in communica- `tion with :a :source of liquid and by certain `devices well-'known inthe art and which it is .not Inecessary here to fdescribe, is kept `filled to predetermined 4height therewith.

lt is yessential to keep the height of the :fl-lling liquid at substantially a predeter- V =mined level VAfor any run of filling of a given lheight of Vbottle or for a desired height vin Aa number of bottles since the level of the .liquid in the tank is one of the factors determining the height of the filling.

The tank is annular as shown, 4the inner wall thereof constituting'the wall of a centrai air chamber 13, which, for the sake of 4greater capacity, `is preferably continued somewhat below the fbottom of the tank, The ltank and .air lchamber described are lboth formed in a single casting by preference. The tank is provided with a cover 14 .which is Aannular in shape and the outer edge thereof is packed at 15 ywhere it joins the outer wall of the tank. This cover is ufor-med with an annular plane section or iange 1.6 which overlies a horizontal flange V17 extending` inward from the edge of the side wall of the air chamber and the joint between the two castings is packed at this point as at 18. Screws 19 secure the two iianges together. At its inner edge the flange on ethe cover is formed vwith an upwardly rising nozzle 2O and a downwardly extending skirt'21, which is open at the bottom as at 22. A dome-shaped casting 23 is fitted over the air chamber 13, the bottom 0f the dome being formed with an outwardly projecting flange 24 which is bolted at 25 to the cover y14. The joint between these two castings is packed as at 2G. Except for the valve hereinafter described .the interior of the dome communicates through. the 'valve seat and cylindrical skirt with the air'chamber y13 and isalso lin open communication with the tank through'the openings 27 lformed in :the vcover 14. Air is asupplied to fthe -air chamber 13 through a pipe 28 connected to the center of the bottom thereof. This pipe revolves -with vthe ltank and air chamberfand is connected to a stationary pipe Q9 extending Vthrough the head 10 and pipe 11'by means of a packed joint 30. The lower endzof :pipe 29 'is connected by pipe 31 with any suitable source .of air or gas at the required pressure.

Thus, but for the valve to be now described, .the lower air chamber 13, the dome or upper air chamber 23 and the space above the liquid in the tank would all be supplied with air or gas under the same pressure. The valve seat 2O and skirt 21 are of large diameter and the former receives a valve 32, the central portion of which depends vthrough said skirt and into the lower air chamber 13 and forms a support for a series of weights 34, 34', etc. The central portion or casting 33 of the valve is `,also formed or -providedexteriorly with wings or guides 35, the outer edges of which accurately vfit the 4interior of the cylindrical skirt'21 thus centering and accurately guiding the valve. By vreason vof the disposition of lthe center of lgravity of the valve well below the valve y'seat andthe provision of the guidesthere is -no tendency of the valve to I'tip and bind and. therefore it readily rises when the pressure in the chamber 13 exceeds that above the valve by the predetermined amount, thus accurately maintaining the `difference of pressure below Aand above the valve. f

rlhe lower air chamber is connected-to the :respective filling valves by air tubes 3G for supplying .the bottles with counterpressure :before the liquid is discharged thereto, As

heretofore observed it is desirableoressen- :tial to Vbe ableto accurately adjust the difference in pressure between the interior of the bottle and the space above-the liquid in Athe Ytank so that bottles of different heights may be filled and, where desired, the height of the liquid in bottles ofthe same or differentheights predetermined. This l accomplish by adjusting the weight upon the valve 32. For this purpose the interiorof the depending portion -of the valve is hollow, as above described, and receives the series of weights 34, 34', `which rest upon shoulders 87, 37',- etc., iof` progressively increasingl diameter from the bottom to the top of the series, the distance between the shoulders being such, with reference to the thickness of the weights 34. 34', etc., supported by thev respective shoulders, as to leave spaces between adjacent weights. The weights are axially perforated .and a rod 3S lextends loosely vthrough the center thereof and is guided at its `lower end ina bearing 39 in the valve casting andat its upper end iii-av bearing 40 .formed in a spider 41, the 'leg-s of which at :their lower ends are connected by an annulus 42 which is bolted or Yotherwise secured to fthe .valve as bybolts 43. The rod is vertically reciprocable within lthe bearings .and is provided beneathfthe lowermost weight with .a collar or washer 44 which, when the rod is raised a definitedistance, engages the lowermost weight of the seriesand raises it fromiits seat and supports itindependently of the-valve. 'A further upward movement of the stem 38 brings the A automatically cease to lowermost weight in contact with the weight next above itand raises the latter also from its seat, and so on. Thus by adjusting the rod or stem 38 the counterpoises 34, 34 may be picked up in order and the added weight upon the vvalve regulated at will. In order to adjust the position of the. stem 38 I provide it with a cross pin 45 to be engaged by a bifurcated arm 46 secured to a transverse shaft 47 which is journalled at 48, 49 in the dome-casting and extends outside the same, there being a packed joint at 50. The outer end ofthe shaft 49 carries an adjusting handle 5l with a pawl 52 pivoted thereto, said pawl controlled by a" handle 53 and engaging a rack sector 54 mounted on the stuifing box 50. The handle is provided with a pointer 55 which co-operates with a dial 56`on the sector. The weights 34, 34, etc., areselected to correspond with the various levels to which it is desired to lill the bottles in connection with which the machine is to be employed. Thus, if the bottles are to be filled as closely as possible to their mouths all the weights are removed from the valve. The latter is of such weight as just to counterbalance a column of liquid extending from a point just below the mouth of a bottle in a filling valve to the normal level of the liquid in the tank. This will then be the difference between the pressure on the liquid in the tank and the pressure in the lower air chamber 13 and therefore when the liquid in the bottle reaches the aforesaid level the pressure of the liquid in the bottle and the counterpressure being equal the liquid will flow. When it is desired to stop the flow of the liquid into the bottle at the next lower level the handle is adjusted to lower the stem and transfer the weight of one of the yuppermost counterpoises to the valve. This correspondingly increases the dierence between the pressure in the air chamber 13 and in the bottle and that on the liquid in the tank, and consequently the ,filling ceases when the liquid in the bottle reaches a lower level than that which it would `reach were the valve free 0f all of the added counterpoises, and so on.

It is sometimes desirable, however, to fill to some level intermediate those determined by the series of weights and Il have provided a micrometer adjustment of the pressure on the valve for this purpose. The upper end of the spider or of the hub 57 thereof is shouldered as at 58 to form a seat for a spring 59, the other end of which abuts against an adjusting screw thumb 60. Said adjusting screw is screwed into a hollow boss 6l in the dome and has a stem 62 extending through a perforation in said boss and packed with relation thereto as at 63. The stem is provided with a knurled thumb-piece 64 for rotating the adjusting screw to adjust the same. Obviously by the means just described, the pressure on the valve can be nicely adjusted to any point intermediate the weights of the counterpoises.

By providing the large air chamberrli closely adjacent the lilling valves which are connected thereto by short air passages I avoid material fluctuations in pressure which might otherwise occur because of the escape Of'couiiterpressure air or gas due to the breakage of a bottle or the like. The large Vvalve and valve seat with the weight of the former disposed well below the seat and the provision for guiding the valve secure a very sensitive action of the valve so that the predetermined difference of pressure between the chamber 30 and the space above the liquid in the tank is actively maintained. The construction by which the pressure on the valve may be increased by definite increments enables the machine to be instantly changed? for filling different bottles or rto different levels, the counterpoised weights being chosen with reference to the various sized. bottles in ordinary commercial use for the liquids being filled and the micrometer adjustment enables any correc tions needed to beaccurately made.

I claim: Y

l. In a machine for filling liquids into bottles comprising a iilling tank, a filling nozzle connected to the tank, and adapted to receive the mouth of a bottle, of an upper and a lowerair chamber having a division wall provided with avalve seat between them, a connection from the upper chamber to the tank, a connection from the lower chamber to the lilling nozzles, a connection for supplying the lower chamber with counterpressure air, and avalve cooperating with the seat and weighted to secure a diierence in pressure between the air chambers and means extending through a sealedl opening in the wall of the device for regulating the pressure of the valve.' 7

2. In a device of the class described and in combination with the tank, liquid supply and filling nozzles thereof, a pairy of coinmunicating air chambers, one of which is connected to the tankand the other to the i'illinginozzles, a valve controlling the communication between said chambers, and movable means extending through a sealed opening in the walls of the device for regulating the pressure of the valve.

3. In a device of the class described and in combination with the tank, filling nozzles and liquid supply thereof, an air chamber, means for supplying said chamber with air, a connection from said chamber to the filling nozzles, a connection from said chamber to the space above the liquid in the filling tank, a valve for controlling said connection, a series of weights, and means for raising said weights successively from the valve and for depositing them thereon.

liquid,

Il. In a device of the class described, a iilling tank, a filling nozzle connected thereto, means for supplyingsaid tank with an air chamber, a connection from said air chamber to the filling nozzle, means for supplying said air chamber with gas under pressure, a connection from said air chamber to the space above the liquid in the tank, a valve seat in said connection, a valve cooperating with said seat, a series of weights adapted to be deposited seriatim prising a central vhollow depending portion', a vertical series of weights within said depending portion, seats for Vthe respective weights therein, a vertically movable rod adapted to pick up the weights successively, and means exterior to the chamber for raising and lowering said rod.

6. In a device of the class described, a filling tank, an upper and a lower air chamber, a diaphragm having a valve seat divid ing said chambers, communication from the upper chamber to the tank, filling nozzles carried by the tank, connections from the lower air chamber to the nozzles, a cylindrical apron depending from said valve seat, a valve coacting with said seat and having a central depending portion, guide wings thereon coacting with the interior of said apron, a series of weights withink the valve, seats on said valve for the respective weights, and means for raising said weights successively, including connections extending to the outside of the chamber for operating the same. Y

7. In a device of the class described, a filling tank, an upper and a lower air chamber, a diaphragm having a valve 4seat dividing said chambers, communication from the valves, a valve upper chamber to the tank, filling nozzles carried by the tank, connections from the lower air chamber to the iilling valves, a valve cooperating with said seat and having an interior hollow having successive stepped weights within the valve adapted to connect thc'respeotive seats, a rod extending through the series of weights and adapted to raise the same successively, a rock shaft, an arm on the rock shaft connecting said rod for raising the same, and a handle on the exterior of the air chamber for rotating the shaft.

8. In a device of the class described, a filling tank, an upper and a lower air chamber, a diaphragm having a valve seat dividing said chambers, communication seats, aV series of depending portion from the upper chamber to the tank, filling Y.

nozzles carried by the tank, connections from the lower air chamber to the filling vcooperating with said seat and having an interior hollow depending portion having successive stepped seats, a series of weights within the valve adapted to connect the respective-V seats, a rod extending through the series of weights and 'adapted vto raise the Vsame successively, a rock shaft, an arm gaging said rod for raising the same, Aa spring tending to depress saidY valve, an acljustable abutment against which said spring bears, and means for adjusting said abutment.

9. In a device of the class described, an annular filling tank having filling nozzles connected thereto, an air chamber ythe side walls of which constitute the inner walls on the rock shaft en-v` of a tank, a casting covering said tank and Y having a valve seat formed integral .therewith above said air chamber and communieating therewith, a dome mounted on said casting, there being openings in said casting between said dome and a valve cooperating with said valve scat and having a depending inner portion adapted to receive counter-poises, and means for successively lifting said counter-poises from the valve and depositing them thereon.

HORACE M. SMITH.

said liquid tank,rv 

